Shincheonji's Administrative Lawsuit: Goyang City Wins Final Supreme Court Ruling, Legitimacy of City Action Confirmed

Goyang City Stands Alone in Nationwide Victory Over Shincheonji Lawsuit
Supreme Court Dismisses Final Appeal in Ex Officio Cancellation Case

Regarding the final Supreme Court victory by Goyang Special City last December in the administrative lawsuit filed by Shincheonji concerning the ex officio cancellation of a change of use to a religious facility for a building located in Pung-dong, Goyang Special City, it is being widely discussed in the local community that, despite all other municipalities having lost in similar lawsuits, only Goyang Special City secured a win.

Shincheonji's Administrative Lawsuit Rejected, Goyang City Wins Final Victory at the Supreme Court. Provided by Goyang City

At the end of last year, the Supreme Court dismissed, without further hearing, the final appeal filed by Shincheonji against the mayor of Goyang in the 'lawsuit to cancel the disposition of cancellation of the change of use permit.' With this, the city secured victories in the first and second trials as well as in the Supreme Court, thereby definitively confirming the legitimacy and public necessity of the ex officio cancellation.

The building in question had applied for a change of use to a religious facility in 2018 but was rejected during the architectural review process due to parking and safety issues. However, in June 2023, it was revealed that an individual, not the Shincheonji religious group, had deceived the administrative authority by applying for a change of use to a religious facility under a personal name, targeting only part of the second floor of the building. In this way, they circumvented the architectural review and obtained approval.

After it became known that the building could be used as a Shincheonji religious facility, nearby residents continuously filed complaints expressing concerns about negative impacts on the educational and residential environment, and there was strong opposition from the local community.

In response, the city decided in January 2024 to issue an ex officio cancellation of the change of use permit, comprehensively considering residents' opinions and the public interest of the local community, and in order to restore administrative trust that had been damaged by the illegal process and deceptive application.

Subsequently, Shincheonji argued that they had been subjected to unfair discrimination based on their religious affiliation and filed a lawsuit. However, as in the first and second trials, the Supreme Court also found the city's action to be lawful and dismissed their appeal.

Throughout the legal proceedings, the city maintained close communication with nearby residents, worked in cooperation with its legal representatives, and responded proactively. As a result, by securing a final victory at the Supreme Court, the city has established an administrative foundation for protecting residents' educational and residential environments, and once again confirmed the legitimacy and public necessity of the ex officio cancellation.

Lee Donghwan, Mayor of Goyang, stated, "This Supreme Court ruling finally affirms that the city's decision to resolve community conflict, address residents' concerns, and protect public safety and quality of life was justified by the judiciary. Moving forward, we will continue to practice responsible administration that places the safety of citizens and the public interest of the community above all else."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.